Objective: To explore the prevalence and contributing factors of resident burnout in a University Hospital before and during the COVID 19 pandemic. Methods: Thirty Faculty of Medicine departments were included in the survey, where 400 university hospital residents filled out the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) in January 2018 and April 2020. Related scores of emotional exhaustion (EE), decreased accomplishment (DA) and depersonalization (DP) were calculated and compared between the different groups. Correlation between scores and possible contributing factors, including demographics, work-life circumstances, exposure to workplace violence, were investigated. Contributing factors were compared between the time points. Results: The EE and DA scores were significantly higher in junior residents than in senior residents. Both scores were higher among residents who had experienced abuse or violence. The emergency medicine residents had significantly higher DP scores, while the EE scores of radiology residents were lower than others. Thirty percent of all residents smoked cigarettes. This percentage was even higher among the residents of the departments of surgery and emergency medicine (45-50%). A significant correlation was demonstrated between the scores of MBI and smoking, while analysis with other demographics did not yield any relation. According to the study results, basic science residents had significantly increased scores in all MBI subgroups during the pandemic. Conclusion: Resident physician burnout was found to be related to the work environment, smoking cigarettes and exposure to violence at workplace.

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Over the last three decades, the brain's functional and structural imaging has become more prevalent in psychiatric research and clinical application. A substantial amount of psychiatric research is based on neuroimaging studies that aim to illuminate neural mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is one of those developing brain imaging techniques among various neuroimaging technologies. Compared to PET, SPECT imaging is easy, less expensive, and practical for radioligand use. Current technologies increased the spatial accuracy of SPECT findings by combining the functional SPECT images with CT images. The radioligands bind to receptors such as 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A, and dopamine transporters can help us comprehend neural mechanisms of psychiatric disorders based on neurochemicals. This mini-review focuses on the SPECT-based neuroimaging approach to psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and major depressive disorder (MDD). Research-based SPECT findings of psychiatric disorders indicate that there are notable changes in biochemical components in certain disorders. Even though many studies support that SPECT can be used in psychiatric clinical practice, we still only use subjective diagnostic criteria such as the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Glimpsing into the brain's biochemical world via SPECT in psychiatric disorders provides more information about the pathophysiology and future implication of neuroimaging techniques.